Dark Ideas by Morris Travis;

Author:Morris, Travis;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic

Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden’s name and face are some of the most recognizable across the globe. He carried out one the most successful propaganda campaigns in history which put himself, his group, their ideology, and their grievances on the world stage. The average American citizen can be shown a picture of bin Laden, and he or she can give his name, possibly name the group in which he belongs to, and maybe even articulate some of their ideas or grievances. The 9/11 attacks, orchestrated by bin Laden’s Al Qaeda also ushered in a complete change in American military equipment, tactics, and doctrine, American’s understanding of Islam and the Middle East, and ultimately fulfilled the purpose of the name of his group Al Qaeda or “The Base.” Bin Laden was often criticized for not being a religious scholar and for not having a plan for a Muslim government or for a unified Muslim community. He was also criticized for not being an original thinker; however, both of these arguments are derived from a misunderstanding about the man and the goals of Al Qaeda.

Bin Laden was not an ideologue or religious scholar innovating new ideas like Sayyid Qutb or Abdullah Azzam. He is, however, responsible for the creation of “a base” that put ideas into practice, specifically shifting a targeting paradigm. Osama bin Laden never claimed to be an Islamic scholar and wrote that others would draft what the new Muslim community would look like after his organization had paved the way. Michael Scheuer states that bin Laden should not be perceived as an idea generator but rather as an effective leader who reframed and implemented ideas similar to Thomas Jefferson. Comparable to bin Laden’s work, there is nothing original in the Declaration of Independence; Jefferson took revolutionary ideas drawn from other philosophers and reframed them in contextual way. From bin Laden’s perspective, he believed that in order to bring Muslims back to total submission to Allah and back to his favor, violent jihad against non-Muslims and apostate Muslim was necessary. Violent jihad would be the path to unity, a form of worship, and an Islamic pillar. Jihad was a way in which he was able to set an example of what it meant to follow one’s faith, and to bin Laden the most important attribute of being a true Muslim was not words, but actions.8

Osama bin Laden perceived that an American military fighting on Afghan soil would recruit violent jihadi fighters and unite the Muslim world. On Muslim soil, the American military would be easier to attack because of local proximity. Bin Laden knew the importance of information warfare, and through his Al Qaeda media branch, he manufactured a message focused on lightly armed fighters, strong in their Islamic faith, fighting the strongest military force. Finally, if the Americans were fighting on Muslim soil, economic attrition and political upheaval could impact America in the same way it impacted the Soviet Union during the Soviet-Afghan War.9

Bin Laden’s death in May 2011, by U.

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